15 Years After Start: B-52 Bomber With Rolls-Royce Engines Won’t Fly Until 2033

[Agent K]

Poor reporting there, is it a case of not flying till 2033? or not entering service to 2033?, which if the latter it should fly a few years before 2033.

[Sparts99]

It does say in the article initial operating capability in 2033, so yes, it'll fly with the new engines well before that.

[Nighthawke]

Rolls Royce plan is to ground and air test 2024-2026.

[TonyO]

Simpleflying is written by simple idiots, who thieve and rewrite stories written by actual journalists. Worth reading proper news websites such as Flight or Aviation Week.

[cat1]

Read somewhere the other day that its possible for a young pilot to fly the same airframe their grandfather flew!!!

Quite impressive!

[Macclad51]

I recall a B-52 pilot saying “the pilot that will fly the final B-52 flight has not been born yet”

[H.A.Bucken]

Can't remember year I bought a patch off the B-52 crew at an Alconbury Airtattoo (and I think I've sold it on at a carboot); it was a 'Beef' in plan with the inscription "Someone over 30 you can trust". I trust the patch has been updated!
Roger.

[Agent K]

Given that the first production B-52H, 61-0001 was funded, as per the serial, in '61 and I'd expect it to have then joined the service a year or so afterwards, it's been in service for at least 60 years, so one can work out how many generations could have flown it as of today, and also how many might fly it in the future.

Having seen it at Nellis AFB earlier this year at Red Flag 2024-1, and wearing the nose art Memphis Belle IV, it is still going strong!